John Travolta has admitted that he almost did not feature in Welcome Back, Kotter, his breakout show, in a new interview. The actor revealed how he nearly passed on the role of Vinnie Barbarino.
John Travolta wanted to skip his Welcome Back, Kotter audition due to a lack of funds
In a new interview for Emmy Magazine, Gabe Kaplan, who a co-creator of Welcome Back, Kotter, revealed some behind-the-scenes details from the show. He was also joined by his former co-stars.
Kaplan spoke about the series of events that led to the show’s creation, and how Travolta almost missed starring in the show. He explained that Welcome Back, Kotter was based on his stand-up set. It focused on growing up in Brooklyn and going to a multicultural school. In the show, he played Mr. Kotter, who returns to his old school as a teacher.
When it came time to cast for other roles, casting director Lynn Stalmaster suggested John Travolta. “Stalmaster thought a relative unknown named John Travolta would be perfect for Vinnie Barbarino,” Kalpan recalled in the interview.
However, Travolta wasn’t initially interested, as he was offered a Broadway role. Since he “needed the money,” Travolta was inclined towards picking that job instead. “I was going to take the Broadway job because I needed the money,” Travolta told Kaplan. “But Stalmaster got me a small part in a horror flick called The Devil’s Rain, just to tide me over until Kotter auditions started,” the actor added (via PEOPLE).
Despite his hesitation, Travolta eventually auditioned for Welcome Back, Kotter, which turned out to be a career-defining role. Kaplan also recalled a funny moment when he joked with Travolta about receiving lots of fan mail. Travolta, disappointed to learn he hadn’t received any letters, was surprised a week later when he received a bag full of fan mail.
Welcome Back, Kotter was a sitcom that aired between 1975 and 1979. It featured Gabe Kaplan, Ron Palillo, John Travolta, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Robert Hegyes, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs in the lead roles. The show garnered massive success during its run.
Originally reported by Harsha Panduranga on ComingSoon.
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